


A Walk Around The Christmas Market

by Soapbubblesoul



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Christmas market, Europe, Fluff, Ice Skating, M/M, Mulled wine, Snow, Teasing, Travel, hand holding, sweets
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-17
Updated: 2016-12-17
Packaged: 2018-09-09 04:16:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,434
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8875582
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Soapbubblesoul/pseuds/Soapbubblesoul
Summary: Yifan and Yixing had been planning to travel to Europe one day for a long time, and one December they finally manage to, staying a few days in Heidelberg to enjoy the christmas market there.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Written two years ago, and now that it's Christmas season I figured it's time to finally crosspost it. Featuring pics I took in Heidelberg the weekend before writing this fic.

 

 

It’s the middle of December and bitterly cold outside. Yifan and Yixing are both bundled up in three layers of clothing beneath their coats, have a scarf wound around their neck, hats on to protect their ears and gloves to prevent the wintery wind from biting into their fingers.

Nonetheless Yifan is shivering profusely as they stroll along the crowded, narrow main street.

“It was a bad idea to agree to leave the hotel.” Yifan says, but the scarf in front of his mouth muffles the words. Thankfully Yixing is huddled close in an attempt to catch any remains of body heat managing to escape the excessive clothing, so he can make out Yifan’s words despite the noise coming from the street.

“Don’t be like that.” Yixing elbows his boyfriend playfully. “It would be a shame to come to Europe and spend all day in the hotel. We've traveled too far for that.”

Yifan relents with a huff, and sneaks his hand down to hold Yixing's, stuffing their clasped hands into his coat pocket for warmth. “Guess you're right. It's still cold though.”

A fond smile on his lips, Yixing would love to lean up and kiss Yifan, but they are on a bustling street, and if he were to stop they would be an obstruction for all the other people who are up and about. So Yixing settles on giving Yifan's hand a squeeze of encouragement. “I heard they sell hot, spiced wine everywhere here. That should help in warming you up a bit.”

Yifan looks at him with a raised eyebrow. “You 'heard'? Where exactly did you pick that up?”

“I'm a very communicative person, you know?” Yixing pouts up at the tall blond. “When you were taking forever to fix up your hair I talked to some local people in the lobby of our hotel because you were making me wait.”

In reaction, Yifan just rises his eyebrow up higher. “You, talking to local people?”

Yixing would love to swat at his boyfriend's arm for that statement, but he quite enjoys having Yifan's warm hand wrapped around his, so he settles on pushing the other slightly to express his displeasure. “Oi, my english _is_ good enough to hold a basic conversation.”

“A basic conversation about wine. It's a surprise you light-weight even know the words for talking about alcohol in english.” The taller teases, but Yixing decides to forego an answer in favour of just sticking his tongue out. He has had too many arguments with Yifan about alcohol already, and everytime they go out drinking together the little jabs start anew. But Yixing thinks that Yifan looks so cute when he chuckles to himself, satisfied with himself for making fun of Yixing's low alcohol threshold, so he lets it pass every single time.

It's only barely 4pm, but the sun has already set. The whole street they're walking down is decorated with thousands of lights, being stuck to the old facades of the buildings lining the pedestrian walkway, or hanging in the form of falling stars right above their heads. The sight paired with the historic city they are currently in makes Yixing swoon at it's beauty, and every few meters he excitedly tugs Yifan's hand to point with his free hand at a particular building or decoration, or one of the dozen fir trees that are positioned on the bigger squares.

“I'm really happy this trip worked out.” Yixing silently confesses to Yifan when they get stuck in a particularly busy part of the way, all the people hindering them from moving faster than one step every minute. “It's so nice to get away from everything for a bit.”

Yifan hums in affirmation, and gives the smaller hand in his an affectionate squeeze. “Same here. It's worth every yuan we had to spent on it. And I finally get to have you all to myself for two whole weeks.”

Yixing is thankful for the cold, because he can blame the colour in his cheeks on it so as not to give his boyfriend any indication that he's inadvertently pleased by the cheesy statement. Though he has himself to blame, he gave Yifan the perfect opportunity. 

They follow the street until the end, where Yixing immediately pipes up with excitement at the sight of the ice rink, and all of Yifan's attempts to distract him from it by pointing up at the birghtly lit remains of the old castle are futile as Yixing stays adamant on going ice-skating. Using all of his best aegyo, he eventually has Yifan giving in with a heavy sigh, following the smaller to the booth were they can rent skates and pay the fee for using the rink.  
  
The blond gulps visibly when he sees that every slot is 90 minutes long, and Yixing knows he's almost about to chicken out, so he simply grabs his hand and draws him over to the benches to change out of their shoes and into the rented skates, simply robbing the blond of the chance to object.

Unable to remember the last time he went ice-skating, Yixing is a bit surprised by how slipperly the ice is beneath his feet, and he stumbles a bit, but thanks to his fairly good body coordination he quickly readjusts to the altered environment. Yifan with his long, gangly limbs that grew too large too quickly for him isn't as lucky.  
  
While Yixing already happily skates his first few rounds, admiring how few people are on the rink, and that most of them are adorable children, Yifan is still struggling to even keep himself upright and his body away from the ice. With shaky fingers he clings to the barrier surrounding the rink and each cautious step he takes makes his feet seem to glide away from beneath his body without his own accord. He's made it a few meters when Yixing comes to a halt beside him, to try and help his slightly desperate looking boyfriend. 

In the end, Yixing spends more than half the time laughing at Yifan's weak attempts at movement, while Yifan grunts in annoyance but is unable to properly chase after Yixing. After half an hour, they manage to complete Yifan's first full round, with Yixing supporting the taller. From then on they move together, and although Yifan is unable to move with any considerable speed, they just leisurely enjoy the feeling of gliding across the ice. 

Despite eventually admitting that he's having a bit of fun, Yifan still seems to be very relieved when their time is up and they have to clear out the rink to make place for the next batch of people.

Wanting to savour the last opportunity, Yixing lets Yifan exit first, and goes to complete a few rounds at a fast pace. When he finally follows after Yifan, his cheeks are red from the cold paired with the exertion, and a wide grin is splitting his face, his dimple deeply pronounced. 

He sees Yifan's eyes soften when he approaches him, and after they have returned all their rented gear, he pulls the taller into a hug, using the opportunity of standing a bit away from the masses to tiptoe for a quick kiss.

“Thanks for putting up with that, now we can go do what you want to do.” Yixing beams up at his boyfriend, and the other just smiles back down in defeat, hugging him back gently before letting go, but not without draping an arm around the smaller's shoulders so that he can keep him close.

They stroll back down the way they came, this time taking a look around all the booths. There are vendors selling incense, scented candles, pottery, or jewelry, and Yixing is awed with everything, tugging Yifan forward excitedly. His biggest interest is caught by all the sweets that are being sold though.

He buys chocolate marshmallows, a toffee apple, a gingerbread heart and convinces Yifan to share a Crêpe with him.

“You know, just a bit more and I think you'll have consumed your own weight in sweets.” Yifan tells him when they leave the first part of the market. By means of answering Yixing just stuffs a roasted almond from the bag he's munching on into Yifan's mouth, and it makes Yifan grudgingly admit that all the christmas-sweets do taste good. Content to have shut his boyfriend up, Yixing hums and draws the bigger body close to his once more.

The second part of the market lies a bit further down the street, but they don't get there right away for Yixing stops them at a big fir tree illuminated brightly by countless dots of lights. There are a few musicians standing in front of it, singing christmas themed songs, and Yixing finds himself humming along to them.

With Yifan's arms around him, drawing him into a back-hug, the two of them still and listen for a while. They stay until the musicians end their performance, and Yixing finds himself clapping loudly when the artists bow to the audience.

But despite enjoying the unexpected music, Yixing can't help but notice that Yifan has started shivering again and his own feet and hands feel slightly frozen as well. So he tugs Yifan down the road until they reach one of the stalls that sells the spiced wine he had been after since they left their hotel.

“There, I think a cup of this should warm us up.” He claims, and pushes Yifan towards the counter to order a cup for each of them, but the taller resists.

“I thought your english is good? Why do I have to be the one to order then?” Yifan asks, trying to sound innocent but the teasing glint in his eyes and the barely contained hints of a smirk on his face somehow ruin the attempt.

Yixing contemplates rolling his eyes, but since it wouldn't get him closer to his goal of making Yifan buy their drinks, he pushes his lip forward in a pout and widens his eyes, calling on the power of his aegyo. If it could get Yifan to ice-skate with him, it is sure to get him to cave in this time as well.

“Do you want me to embarrass myself that bad?” He asks, peering up at Yifan through his lashes. “I said I could hold a conversation, not that I enjoy it.”

“You're lucky you're cute.” Yifan huffs out, pinching Yixing cheeks once before immediately turning to the vendor, so that he misses the way Yifan blows out his cheeks in protest. But his boyfriend returns with a steaming cup, and the warmth of it seeps into Yixing's fingertips when he clasps it tightly in both hands, so Yixing reasons he can overlook the cheek-pinching this one time.

They secure themselves a place at one of the tables set up for visitors to consume their drinks and foods at.

Experimentally Yixing nips at his cup, and the taste intruding his mouth is foreign, but not necessarily unpleasant. Yifan studies him expectantly, as if waiting for Yixing's opinion first before trying it out himself, so Yixing gives him a thumbs up as he takes a second sip.

Curious about Yifan's opinion a well, Yixing watches him while the older tries the beverage. At first there is no distinct expression discernible on the blond's face, but then he draws his eyebrows up in surprise.

“Unexpected, right?” Yixing prompts, trying to decipher the set of his boyfriend's mouth and eyes.

He gets a nod for an answer. “But not necessarily bad.” Yifan replies. “Just very unfamiliar.”

Yixing hums in agreement, and they continue to gradually empty their cups. As he had been told, the drink manages to warm Yixing's insides, but he doesn't notice how much the alcohol affects him until he empties the last bit of the liquid and makes to walk to the counter to return the cups alongside Yifan.

As he feels his steps being a little unsteady, he giggles silently and grabs Yifan's arms for support.

“That was surprisingly strong.” He confesses to Yifan when the older musters him knowingly. For a change Yifan doesn't pick up on the opportunity to tease Yixing, instead just slinging an arm around him to support the younger's slightly unsteady steps.

“At least you look as if you're warm now.” the blond observes, before bending to kiss the top of Yixing's head. “Just hold onto me.”

Yixing does, but it's not as if he would have needed to be told. A drunk, or even only tipsy Yixing is a clingy Yixing, and so the smaller snuggles into his boyfriend's broad side. They are almost unable to move forward huddled so close together, but it's not as if they are in a haste, so Yifan slowly leads them further down the street. 

He is just about to turn into the street leading them back to their hotel because they have seen the whole of the christmas market, and Yixing is releasing involuntary yawns, but the younger tugs him back.

“I want to stay out a bit longer.” He declares, and Yifan relents when Yixing leads the both of them to an empty bench at the sidewalk.

It started snowing a bit back already, but they only notice as soon as they settle, and Yixing finds himself leaning against Yifan and staring at the little white snowflakes floating down. He releases a content breath, and just takes in all the impressions, the smells and noises and sights of Christmas in a city he's never been to before, and he decides he hasn't felt this happy in a long time.  
  
All the stress of his job or Yifan's are forgotten, all their troubles of looking for a shared flat. 

Right then and there, everything is simply right and Yixing thinks that he will be able to draw on this moment for a while to come still. Coming to Europe during Christmas time was a great idea of Yifan, and Yixing sincerely hopes they can make a tradition of it as soon as Yifan finally gets the promotion he has had a long time coming.

And with the way Yifan is contently staring at his surroundings, Yixing is sure the other will gladly agree to his plans for future traditions.  


  
~.~.~.~.~.~  
*Surreptitiously shows off pictures of Heidelberg* 

I went there every year when I was still in university, and honestly, such a pretty city, especially during christmas time. And there are a ton of Chinese tourists around, so I have decided for it to be a likely destination for Fanxing. 


End file.
